One-piece coupling unit for model railroads

ABSTRACT

The coupling unit comprises a mounting part attached to a car or locomotive and a coupling part, which is movable in a substantially horizontal plane and carries a coupling hook of the opposite coupling unit. The coupling part is connected to the mounting part by a resilient tongue and carries a resilient lug, which is laterally disposed relative to the opening in the coupling part and partly closes said opening.

United States Patent [191 Antonik [451 Aug. 27, 1974 ONE-PIECE COUPLING UNIT FOR MODEL RAILROADS [75] Inventor: Julius Antonik, Salzburg, Austria [73] Assignee: Heinz Rossler, Salzburg-Morzg,

' Austria [22] Filed: Jan. 22, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 325,679

[52] US. Cl 213/75 TC, 46/216 [51] Int. Cl. A63h 19/00, B61g 3/00 [58] Field of Search 213/75 R, 75 TC; 46/216,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,140,783 7/1964 Kretzmer et a1 213/75 TC 3,140,784 7/1964 Goldbeck et al. 213/75 TC 3,518,790 7/1970 Zamarra 213/75 R 3,564,766 2/1971 Edwards et a1. 213/75 TC Primary Examiner--Drayton E. Hofiman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Perry Carvellas, Esq.

[57] ABSTRACT 13 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PAT ENTEU mszmu sum 30F 9 mauve PATENTEDAUBZ H974 3. 88A .7 T6 saw 5 OF 9 a mik PATENTEDAUBZTISM 3.8 31 .776 sum 70F 9 FIG. 72-

PAIENTEDAUBZYIW aaa-mvs SHEET 9 BF 9 ONE-PIECE COUPLING UNIT-FOR MODEL RAILROADS This invention relates to a plastics material one-piece coupling unit for model railroads or the like, which unit comprises a mounting part attached to a car or locomotive and a coupling part, which is movable in a substantially horizontal plane and carries a coupling hook and is provided with an opening for receiving the coupling hook of the opposite coupling unit.

A known coupling device of this kind comprises a pivoted mounting part and two arms, which extend from the mounting part and one of which carries the coupling hook whereas the other arm carries a guide tongue. To prevent a disengagement of the coupling during a movement on curved track, an L-shaped extension is provided on the inside of each of the two arms. When the coupling is engaged, these L-shaped extensions extend one behind the other to prevent an opening of those elements of the coupling part which are carried by different arms (US. Pat. No. Specification 3,140,784).

Another coupling unit for vehicles of toy or model railroads is also injection-molded from synthetic thermoplastic material and is movable in a vertical plane relative to the car or locomotive. Where that coupling unit is used, the distance between the vehicles is much larger in proportion than with full-scale vehicles. Be-

' sides, those coupling units are assembled from a plurality of components, inclusive of springs (German Pat. Specification 964,577). In another known coupling for model railroads, the hooks of the coupling parts to be interconnected are also caused to snap one into the other under the action of two springs as the cars approach each other so that the coupling is engaged. Such spiral springs tend to quiver and for this reason adversely affect the engagement of the coupling. Finally, a composite coupling unit is known for model railroads, which unit does not consist of plastics material and whose coupling part is connected to the car or locomotive by a rigid rod and is movable in a substantially horizontal plane (US. Pat. No. Specification 2,631,740).

It is an object of the invention to provide a simplified coupling unit which is of the kind described first hereinbefore and which enables a reduction of the distance between the several vehicles and does not disengage even during a movement on track which is steeply curved, particularly in th form of sigmoid curves, on the one hand, whereas it permits on the other hand of shunting movements even after a previous disengagement and without re-engagement. Besides, the coupling unit should be designed so that it can be even subsequently installed in cars or locomotives which are already being used.

The object set forth is accomplished in that in accordance with the invention the coupling part is connected to the mounting part by a resilient tongue and carries a resilient lug, which is laterally disposed relative to the opening in the coupling part and partly closes said opening. A coupling unit according to the invention has a number of advantages. Because the coupling part is provided at the outer end of a resilient tongue, a movement even on track in the shape of a sigmoid curve having a small radius is enabled without a risk of a disengagement of the coupling and without need for additional elements of construction to hold the coupling engaged. The coupling can be disengaged by remote control or by hand in that one car is simply raised relative to the other. Finally, the coupling unit according to the invention when uncoupled enables shunting movements without an interengagement of two abutting coupling units. If a car is caused to approach the other with a slight jerk or shock, the coupling units will easily and reliably interengage. Because a resilient tongue is used according to the invention, the quivering exhibited by spiral springs can no longer occur.

The mounting part may be designed in such a manner, e.g., as a U-shaped part, that it can also be subsequently installed into the receptacles which are pro vided in many of the commercially available model railroads.

In a desirable embodiment of the invention, a run-up surface of the hook merges into an outwardly directed feeler, and a run-up portion of the resilient lug is provided with a feeler which is also outwardly directed and which extends the run-up surface above the lug in length in an outward direction. Owing to this arrangement, the coupling units of two cars to be coupled will be more easily guided to each other. On the other hand, this embodiment does not permit of a manual disen gagement of the coupling by a simple lifting of one of the two cars.

A particularly desirable coupling unit according to the invention is intended for cars or locomotives having movable buffers. That embodiment distinguishes in that the mounting part at its portion remote from the resilient tongue carries two control arms, which with their free ends engage corresponding guides in the buffers. During a movement on curved track, that buffer which is associated with the inner rail is drawn by its control arms into the interior of the car. It will be understood. that where the coupling device according to the invention is connected to movable buffers in the manner described, the buffers will be almost in contact with each other even during a movement on track in the shape of a sigmoid curve having a small radius so that the several vehicles can be spaced a distance apart which almost corresponds to the condition which is obtained with full-scale vehicles.

The invention will be described hereinafter by way of example with reference to the drawing showing two embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing the coupling unit.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view in elevation.

FIGS. 3 to 9 are top plan views showing the ends of two cars provided with the coupling unit according to the invention in different positions.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view showing a track provided with an uncoupling device known per se.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation showing that track and two cars which are carried by the track and provided with coupling units according to the invention.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are top plan views showing the posi tion of the individual parts of the coupling units during a disengagement of the coupling effected by the uncoupling device.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view which is similar to FIG. 8 and shows a modified embodiment of the coupling unit according to the invention.

FIG. 14a is a side view showing in detail a portion of the coupling unit of FIG. 14.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-12, the coupling unit consists of one piece of plastics material, for

instance, nylon or another resilient plastics material, such as Hostaform, and comprises a U-shaped part 1, which is inserted into a suitable opening in the conventional cars, locomotives, or the like. A resilient tongue 2 is arranged in that U-shaped part 1 and said tongue 2 at its outer end carries a coupling part 3. The same is provided with a coupling hook 4 and an opening for receiving the coupling hook provided on the adjacent car or the like. The coupling part 3 carries also a U- shaped uncoupling portion 6, which comprises a resilient outer lug 7. The latter has a thicker end portion forming a run-up portion 8, which is provided with an obliquely inwardly extending run-up surface 11 and a run-up surface which is parallel to the surface 11. The inside surface 9 of the lug 7 forms also a run-up surface. An oblique inner run-up surface 13 and a curved outer run-up surface 12 are provided on the coupling hook 4.

The coupling part 3 and the run-up portion 8 are each provided on the underside with a depending cylindrical uncoupling pin 16 or 17, which is known per se.

The coupling unit according to the invention has the following mode of operation:

If, as shown in FIG. 3, a car provided with a coupling unit according to the invention approaches another car, which is also provided with such coupling unit, the oblique surfaces 13 of the two coupling units will run up one on the other and initially the resilient tongues 2 are bent outwardly. Thereafter, each of the curved surfaces 12 runs up on the inside surface 9 of the other coupling unit so that the lug 7 is also bent outwardly (see FIG. 4).

When the two coupling hooks 4 have moved one past the other, the two coupling hooks hook one into the other and the outward resilient deflection of the tongues 2 and lugs 7 is reduced. The two coupling units have now been hooked one into the other (see FIG. 5). This hooked engagement will be satisfactorily preserved also during a movement on curved track (see FIG. 6) and on track in the shape of a sigmoid curve (see FIG. 7). In such case, only the resilient tongues 2 are correspondingly outwardly deflected.

Even when a car is pushed, this hooked engagement will be preserved during a movement on straight track (see FIG. 8) and during a movement on track in the shape of a sigmoid curve (see FIG. 9).

When two cars or the like which are coupled by coupling units according to the invention move over a raised, diamond-shaped uncoupling part (see FIGS. 10, 11), the two uncoupling pins 16 will first be forced outwardly as they run up on the side edges of the uncoupling part 15. This has also the result that the runup surfaces 12 press on the inside surfaces 9 of the runup portions 8 and force the resilient lugs 7 outwardly so that the two coupling hooks 4 are disengaged from one another (see FIG. 12). Subsequently, the oblique surfaces of the uncoupling part 15 bend the coupling parts apart as the uncoupling pins 16 and 17 run up on said oblique surfaces (see FIG. 13). When the pulling car has completely left the uncoupling part 15, the resilient parts 2 and 7 of the coupling unit of said part will have returned to their initial position.

FIG. 14 shows a modified embodiment of the coupling unit according to the invention. That embodiment is improved in two respects compared to the embodiment explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. Like reference characters are used for elements of construction which have already been explained with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-13. These elements will be described hereinafter only inasmuch as modifications have been made. The first improvement resides in that the run-up surface 13 of the hook 4 merges into an outwardly directed feeler 18. Another feeler 19, which is also outwardly directed, is mounted on the run-up portion 8 of the resilient lug 7. The two feelers 18, 19 extend in horizontal planes on different levels. The feeler 18 of hook 4 lies in the lower plane and the feeler 19 of the resilient lug 7 lies in the upper plane. This arrangement ensures a reliable engagement of the coupling even when the rails are not exactly horizontal. The feeler 19 considerably extends the run-up surface 11 of the resilient lug 7 in the upper one of said planes in length whereas the run-up surface 11 in the lower plane is unchanged compared to the embodiment shown in FIGS. l-l3.

Another improvement compared to the embodiment described first hereinbefore resides in that the buffers 20, 21 are mounted in guide bores 22, 23 of the car 24 to be movable in the direction of travel. Each buffer 20 or 21 is provided at its rear end with a guide groove 25 or 26. Instead of the guide grooves 25, 26, straight guide grooves may be provided which are open toward the rails. The embodiment mentioned last, which is not described, has an advantage which will be explained hereinafter.

As is best apparent from FIG. 14a, the mounting part 1' is provided on its portion remote from the resilient tongue 2 with a vertical carrying arm 27. Two control arms 28, 29 are provided at the top end of the carrying arm 27 and are curved toward the associated end face 30 of the car 24 and with their free ends extend into the guides 25 and 26 of the buffers 20 and 21. When these buffers are provided each only with a longitudinal groove as a guide, the control arms 28, 29 and the buffers 20, 21 can be disengaged in that the buffers 20, 21 are simply turned in their bearing bores 22, 23. When during a movement on curved track the coupling part 3 is moved toward the inner wall, the associated control arm 28 or 29 will move that buffer 20 or 21 which is associated with the inner rail back into the interior of the car 24 in the bearing bore 22 or 23 so that a movement with the buffers in contact with each other is enabled even on track in the shape of a steep sigmoid curve.

A resilient rod 31 is carried by the vertical carrying arm 27 of the mounting part 1' and extends in a direction opposite to that of the resilient tongue 2 and in a horizontal plane which directly adjoins the underside of the car 24. The rod 31 extends with its free end into an eyelet 32, which is mounted on the underside of the car. The resilient rod 31 exerts an additional restoring force, which tends to return the coupling to the position for movement on straight track. The control arms 28, 29 and the resilient rod 31 have much smaller dimensions than the resilient tongue 2. Their height only slightly exceeds their thickness.

The mounting part 1 differs from the mounting part 1 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. l-l3 in that it does not consist of a U-shaped part but of a pivoted part having a central bore 33 for receiving a detachable pin, by which the mounting part 1 can be secured in a manner known shown in a corresponding receptacle bore of the car.

What is claimed is:

l. A plastics material one-piece coupling unit for model railroads, which unit comprises a mounting part and a coupling part which carries a coupling hook and is provided with an opening for receiving the coupling hook of the opposite unit, said coupling part carries a resilient lug, which is laterally disposed relative to the opening in the coupling part and partly closes said opening wherein said mounting part is connected to said coupling part by a resilient tongue which provides for movement of the coupling part in essentially only a horizontal plane.

2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the resilient lug consists of a leg of a U-shaped part provided on the outside of the coupling part.

3. A unit according to claim 1 wherein the coupling hook is provided at its outer end with an inwardly directed run-up surface, which is oblique relative to the direction of travel, and with an outwardly directed, curved run-up surface, which merges into a tapering beveled surface that extends as far as to the resilient tongue, and the resilient tongue is also provided at its end with an inner run-up surface.

4. A unit according to claim 1 wherein the mounting part consists of a U-shaped part, the resilient tongue extends from the center of the cross-piece of the U- shaped part, and the coupling part is substantially eccentrically disposed relative to the resilient tongue.

5. A unit according to claim 3, wherein the run-up surface of the hook merges into an outwardly directed feeler and the run-up portion of the resilient lug carries also an outwardly directed feeler, by which the run-up surface disposed above said lug is extended in length.

6. A unit according to claim 5, wherein the feelers are disposed in different, closely spaced, horizontal planes.

7. A unit according to claim 1, for cars or locomotives having movable buffers, wherein the mounting part at its portion remote from the resilient tongue carries two control arms, which with their free ends engage corresponding guides in the buffers.

8. A unit according to claim 7, wherein a resilient rod is carried by a vertical carrying arm of the mounting part and extends opposite to the resilient tongue which connects the coupling part to the mounting part, and said rod with its free end portion extends into an eyelet carried by the car or locomotive.

9. A unit according to claim 8 wherein the mounting part is pivoted and has a central bore for receiving a detachable pin by which the mounting part can be sccured in a corresponding receptacle bore of the car or locomotive.

10. A unit according to claim 9, wherein the coupling hook is provided on its underside with an uncoupling pin.

11. A unit according to claim 10, wherein the resilient lug is provided on its underside with an uncoupling pin.

12. A plastics material one-piece coupling unit for model railroads which unit comprises at one end a mounting part and at the other end a coupling part, said coupling part comprises a coupling hook, an opening for receiving the coupling hook of the opposite unit and a resilient lug which is laterally disposed relative to said opening and partially closes said opening, wherein said mounting part isconnected to said couplingpart by a resilient tongue which provides for movement in essentially only a horizontal plane of the coupling part relaan uncoupling pin. 

1. A plastics material one-piece coupling unit for model railroads, which unit comprises a mounting part and a coupling part which carries a coupling hook and is provided with an opening for receiving the coupling hook of the opposite unit, said coupling part carries a resilient lug, which is laterally disposed relative to the opening in the coupling part and partly closes said opening wherein said mounting part is connected to said coupling part by a resilient tongue which provides for movement of the coupling part in essentially only a horizontal plane.
 2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the resilient lug consists of a leg of a U-shaped part provided on the outside of the coupling part.
 3. A unit according to claim 1 wherein the coupling hook is provided at its outer end with an inwardly directed run-up surface, which is oblique relative to the direction of travel, and with an outwardly directed, curved run-up surface, which merges into a tapering beveled surface that extends as far as to the resilient tongue, and the resilient tongue is also provided at its end with an inner run-up surface.
 4. A unit according to claim 1 wherein the mounting part consists of a U-shaped part, the resilient tongue extends from the center of the cross-piece of the U-shaped part, and the coupling part is substantially eccentricalLy disposed relative to the resilient tongue.
 5. A unit according to claim 3, wherein the run-up surface of the hook merges into an outwardly directed feeler and the run-up portion of the resilient lug carries also an outwardly directed feeler, by which the run-up surface disposed above said lug is extended in length.
 6. A unit according to claim 5, wherein the feelers are disposed in different, closely spaced, horizontal planes.
 7. A unit according to claim 1, for cars or locomotives having movable buffers, wherein the mounting part at its portion remote from the resilient tongue carries two control arms, which with their free ends engage corresponding guides in the buffers.
 8. A unit according to claim 7, wherein a resilient rod is carried by a vertical carrying arm of the mounting part and extends opposite to the resilient tongue which connects the coupling part to the mounting part, and said rod with its free end portion extends into an eyelet carried by the car or locomotive.
 9. A unit according to claim 8 wherein the mounting part is pivoted and has a central bore for receiving a detachable pin by which the mounting part can be secured in a corresponding receptacle bore of the car or locomotive.
 10. A unit according to claim 9, wherein the coupling hook is provided on its underside with an uncoupling pin.
 11. A unit according to claim 10, wherein the resilient lug is provided on its underside with an uncoupling pin.
 12. A plastics material one-piece coupling unit for model railroads which unit comprises at one end a mounting part and at the other end a coupling part, said coupling part comprises a coupling hook, an opening for receiving the coupling hook of the opposite unit and a resilient lug which is laterally disposed relative to said opening and partially closes said opening, wherein said mounting part is connected to said coupling part by a resilient tongue which provides for movement in essentially only a horizontal plane of the coupling part relative to the mounting part.
 13. The coupling unit according to claim 11 wherein each of the coupling hook and the run up portion of the resilient lug are provided on their bottom surfaces with an uncoupling pin. 